Dave Webb
August, 2024

We had great fun riding horses into the Jedediah Smith Wilderness on the west slope of the Teton Mountains, and fishing a small, little-known lake full of nice cutthroat trout.

The lake was located in the in the Caribou-Targhee National Forest. I’m not going to name the lake or give its location but I will say we stayed with friends in Driggs, ID, drove an hour to the trailhead, and then rode the horses for five miles to the lake.

All of the fish we caught were beautiful Yellowstone cutts running 14-18 inches. We caught them through the heat of the day by casting small lures, letting them sink while we counted 10, and then retrieved them erratically. An orange/silver Kastmaster proved to be the most productive lure.

I love fishing small, high-elevation lakes in wilderness areas including the Uintas, Wind Rivers, and Tetons. I usually hike/backpack and it was very nice letting the horses carry us up the mountain. I only ride once or twice a year so this was a treat. We road well-trained Morgans that performed well I didn’t even get sore.

I rode a horse named Whiskey Girl. She was big, strong, and seemed to enjoy the outing almost as much as I did.

The scenery was gorgeous, with wildflowers blooming and the majestic peaks in the background. If you have the chance to take a similar ride, I encourage you to go for it. The only thing better would have been camping overnight at the lake.